Essay from Kelsea Dedicated to Tanner "Something Special"

Subject: Fwd: Something special

Just wanted to share Kelsea's essay with you all. It is pretty cool. I know that good

comes out of situations that we don't ask for, but it is life and knowing is exempt from

choosing what happens. It seems to be how we react. I was very touched on Kelsea's

take on this situation. I am so happy that Tanner influenced her. And the impact it

has had in what she does. I remember wondering the impact that he could

be such a great way. Everyday, I am so Gratefull that he is still with us,

We have had some major hurdles to overcome, and still overcoming. i am truly

grateful That I spend the day with him. And to see his smile. One thing I will try not do is

take for granted our life and the small gifts we all have. I am grateful

for what I Have learned through this.

I would like to say Thank you for being there for us!

---

Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:10:29 -0700

Subject: Kelsea's Essay

Kelsea Godfrey

William Donovan

English 101

September 10, 2010

When you look at someone for the first time it is so easy to judge them. It is easy to take a glance at them and make statements and form opinions that we have no right to make. It is astonishing how those opinions, those statements, change after you hear a person’s story and learn what they have gone through in life, the obstacles they have had to overcome. Everyone has a story, our history of how we came to be the people we are today.

To understand my story, and to completely comprehend the reason why I chose to play collegiate soccer and attend Idaho State University, I would need to explain who my brother is. Tanner Godfrey is my older brother, my hero. I’ve looked up to him all my life, he’s my invincible brother, my rock, the one that can’t be broken. When you look at Tanner for the first time you see him in a wheelchair. That’s when people look at him sympathetically and think he’s sad, he’s not normal, he doesn’t live the same, he has restrictions, he sits at home all day. Little do they know he’s Tanner Godfrey.

My brother Tanner is twenty one years old. Two years ago he was in a dirt bike accident. He was paralyzed from the waist down in a matter of minutes. My dad called my mom to let her know about Tanner’s accident, my mom and I were in San Diego for a soccer tournament. My mom came to me early morning before my game to let me know the news. The only thing I remember is that as soon as she told me my knees buckled and I fell to the floor in disbelief. I had no idea how to react or what to do; my invincible rock had been shattered. The next flight out wasn’t going to be for a few hours so I played my games because that was what my brother told me to do for him. I played the game of my life, which happened to also have a lot of college scouts around, which is what set off my collegiate bound process.

Fast forward a few hours and I find myself running to my brother’s room, tears streaming down my face, staying close to my mom the whole way down. We turn the corner to find family and friends lined up in the waiting room, we pass by everyone not thinking to say hello. My mom swings the door open. I race to grab his hand as my mom goes to reach for her oldest son’s head. We both start bawling and Tanner being the person he is, looks up without a single tear in his eye and as calm as can be and says, “Don’t worry everything’s going to be okay. What the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve. I will walk again.” Reading this you probably stop and think that no one who was just told they wouldn’t walk again would be so determined and strong willed. You may even think this story is fake, but it’s not, you just don’t know Tanner Godfrey.

Two years ago, over Thanksgiving weekend my brother was racing motocross down in Mesquite, Nevada. He was racing up a hill and hit a pot hole in the ground. He flew over the handle bars of his motorcycle at forty miles per hour into the ground where his neck took the majority of the impact. Tanner felt a tingling sensation come over his legs. Nobody had seen the crash, it was him all, alone waiting for someone to come help. Next thing Tanner remembers is being life lifted to Mesquite hospital where they told him he was paralyzed from the waist down and would never walk again. Tanner never accepted what the doctors said. He knew what he was capable of. A few hours later he was flown to the U of U hospital. Tanner was in the hospital for about a month and I was there with him every day.

After The crash things did change. Visiting him in the hospital was harder and harder. I wanted to cry all the time but couldn’t because not even he was crying. He never led us on to believe that his life was going to be any different. Nothing stopped him and he kept his goal of doing everything normally again in his near sight.

When you are with him you just can’t stop smiling. To the world he looks like some guy in a wheel chair, but to me he’s still my invincible wall. He has proven time and time again that he will never be shattered; mentally or physically. Life is not fair but Tanner would never say that to you. He has always shown tremendous strength; be it on the Alta wrestling team or through this life obstacle he faces right now.

In the hospital we tried to lift his spirits but at the end of the day it was he who lifted ours.

He can walk with a walker and a couple steps without the walker. He’s rode a motorcycle again and has been doing what people thought was the impossible. He refuses to use his wheel chair most of the time, which is understandable for the type of person he is. Tanner goes to the gym everyday and drives like everyone else. He lives his life and doesn’t let anything stop him. The positive attitude that he has towards life is outstanding and unbelievable. He will always try and succeed to accomplish tasks that regular people in a wheel chair wouldn’t do. He is determined to prove the doctors and anyone else who doubted him that he will walk again without assistance. He is my inspiration. If I ever am having a bad day all I need to do is go see or talk to Tanner.

I wasn’t going to play collegiate soccer, I wasn’t sure it was something I wanted. I was going to give up and just stay close to Tanner. After watching my big brother get things he loves to do get taken away I had no reason not to play. He was going to go to college and had the talent to go professional. I would have never forgiven myself if I had given up on my dreams and if I had let Tanner down in not taking advantage of everything life gives me. It would be a disgrace to him and all he stands for if I were to give up my talent. I chose to come to Idaho State University because it wasn’t too far from home and I could play soccer. I chose to not give up in anything because he’s never given up. I made my grandmother, my brother, my family, and myself proud to continue my education and live every moment to the max. Tanner helped me decide where to go and to never just give an average effort in anything.

Education is important and not taking anything for granted were the two main thoughts running through my head as I chose which college to attend. My brother is my driving force in everything I do. He is my hero and he is the reason I work so hard on and off the field. I know that if my brother was doing something he’d be giving it 110%. Because of that I give a hundred and twenty percent. I owe it to him. He helped me chose a good college and go after my goals. In conclusion; I am at Idaho State University with a starting spot on the soccer team as a freshman all because of someone with a lot of heart, will and determination with the name Tanner Godfrey.